In general, traverse rods and carrier assemblies for curtain suspension mechanisms for use with traverse rods are well-known. Traverse rods offer the convenience of a pull cord or a baton draw to open and close the curtains. The prior art carrier assemblies include curtain support sliding elements which are configured to slide inside a track formed in the traverse rod. The curtain carrier assemblies are often in the form of "C"-shaped rings which wrap around the front of the rod. Attached to each of the rings is a downwardly projecting link which includes a hole to receive a standard curtain hook. This curtain hook suspension system is not easily adapted for use with other types of curtains such as tab curtains. Another problem exists in that there is not any "standard" for tab dimensions to ensure that a single suspension system will support curtains with differently-sized tabs. Therefore, it is difficult to configure traverse rods to suspend tab curtains.
In the prior art, tab curtains are usually suspended with metal curtain rods or wood poles which do not have any type of pull cords or baton draws, thereby relegating tab curtains to be used almost exclusively as decorative panels. Thus, consumers must grab the edge of the curtain and drag it across the metal curtain rod or wood pole. In the case of a metal rod, there is an exposed edge where the telescoping sections of the rod meet. When the edge of the curtain is pulled across this exposed edge, the curtain is often stopped and damaged.
It is therefore desirable to provide a curtain tab carrier which is configured for use with a standard traverse rod. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a carrier designed to accommodate different curtain tab dimensions. Finally, it is desirable to provide a fabric retaining mechanism which easily secures and releases the curtain tabs.